Tough decision
Posted By: KB on 2006-07-22
In Reply to: Condition of the Industry Opinions Needed!! - MTtoQAtoMT?
I have been an MT for just over 20 years. I don't think I would ever consider QA. Knowing the poor quality of many (not all) of the MTs these days keeps me from even considering it. Knowing that the reports that I personaly end up sending to QA are the worst of the worst, I would think that is what other seasoned MTs are sending.....which means YES you are getting nothing but garbage coming your way. Inexperienced MT work *plus* don't-give-a-crap-except-for-my-line-count MT work *plus* really tough stuff from experienced MTs *equals* NOT FOR ME!!!
When I get ready to sit down and work I HOPE there are some good dictators in my future.....being QA I could almost bet I'm going to have a crappy day. I for one could not take that day in and day out. Plus the money is so much better in MT. I am going to try ASR soon, so a mixture of ME and MT. We'll see how I like that. Good luck with your decision.
Another thought would be that I might consider QAing for a hospital that has their employees at home, NOT a national company. Like the university hospital where I used to work. If I knew the quality of the MTs was up there, and that the MT supervisor tries his/her best to get onto the horrible dictators.
Best of luck with your decision.
Complete Discussion Below:  marks the location of current message within thread
The messages you are viewing
are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select
the boards given in left menu
Other related messages found in our database
Wow, that is a tough job, but it can be done
Thank you for caring AND for having that cat fixed. He sounds like a great pet! Making him an indoor cat is going to be difficult, but here is what I have done...Make sure he has something high he can sit on, preferably by the window. Get stuff to detract him - my cats like those cardboard scratching things REAL WELL - they aren't expensive and they last a long time. My cats also like catnip (which I put on the scratching thing) little balls of yarn or sparkly stuff that they can bat around the house (usually at night when I'm trying to sleep). I know all cats are different and it may take awhile (but not as long as your think) and be very frustrating, but you can do it. You have a lot of love in your heart. Extra attention and extra treats when he wants to go out. Good luck to you!!! Come back and tell us how it works out.
Boy that is tough
Avrage would have to be between 10 and 15 but in some of mine in a 30 minute tape I get over 1000 lines as there are a lot of consults and letter. But in acute care gotta be close to 10 to 15 depending on how many times they cough, huh, clear their throat and start over. Then sometimes on a 10 minute dictation I get only 50 lines. But I would feel safe saying an averge is 10 to 15 lines.
This is a tough one...sm
since the ports still work with your printer, then it has to be something with your foot pedal. Some foot pedals do not come with software, but mine came with the software for the digital player. perhaps, if that is the same with yours, you would have to uninstall your digital player, reboot, reinstall, reboot, and then try the foot pedal again. for some reason, your computer is not recognizing the footpedal any longer. I really don't think it is a port problem anymore because of the printer working from it. wow! I feel bad for you. the reason why I think it might be the software for your digital player is that NO foot pedal works. if it was just the footpedal itself, one of the others should work. does that make sense? my software for my digital player has to be able to recognize the foot pedal in order for it to work, so that would be my next suggestion is to uninstall and reinstall...don't forget to reboot. my son says reboot is your best friend. keep us advised. but I would be on the phone to the local computer guru for a housecall right about now. good luck.
Even if he's tough, if you keep getting him
often, you should be able to train your ear or make normals to help you. Do keep a notebook where you list his favorite drugs. When I was learning a Korean doctor, if I got her first thing, there were certain words she'd say that could stop me in my tracks. I wrote them on a board, a phonic spelling and then the word she meant. It cracked me up, but it also helped me in the early morning before I had my ears on.
It is a tough one for me. sm
I have a toddler who wakes early. I usually get to bed around 2-3am, sleep till 6am, then when daughter takes her nap from 1-3pm I just lay down and nap with her. I've been known to nap on the couch too while my daughter plays in the living room. Everything is kid proof and I just put up the baby gate so she has to stay in the room and she can easily wake me if she needs to.
I'm luckily usually pretty good with 4-6 hours of sleep though so it isn't so bad. It is hard some days when the neighbors all decide to mow lawn exactly at the time we usually take a nap. 
I know it can be tough, but
don't live paycheck to paycheck  . I've learned the hard way that if 2-3 days will kill your budget and/or cause you not to pay your creditors, then it's time to rethink your pay, how you manage money, and/or your career. I had to rethink all three and am resolving the issues so that even if my employer pays me a week late - which is illegal anyway - it won't kill my budget. Doing a little extra work on the side helps too. 
That is a tough one....sm
He should have more consideration for you than that. That is really inconsiderate. I was under the impression that it was the office's responsibility to load the reports on the computer and all that. Which I have never done tapes that is just what I assumed. I would charge him extra for that. Figure what you are worth per hour and however long it takes you to do this figure how much that would be. If 30 minutes half of what you are worth an hour. As far as turning around, no, gas is too high for all that. As far as waiting you have other things to do I am sure. Maybe he should spell out the doctor's names so you don't have to go back and correct them. I would wait in his office if he didn't take too long I guess. But he is expecting a little much. I think maybe I would mail a letter with updated price changes and say something like due to the time it is taking out of my day to do other work I am going to be charging a fee for loading work on the computer and such. It may only be a $5-10 fee but let them know there will be a charge. Let them know you will wait in the office for a certain amount of time. Say 15-20 minutes. If he doesn't come in by then you have to go because you have other work to do.
That would be tough...
You would have to do about 3300 lines per day, which means that 471 lph is the slowest you could do to meet $100 in 7 hours. VR is really unpredictable in what you have to change. I know there are MTs out there who can edit really fast. I would not say it "can't" be done. I would just say that it would be hard to do.
I buy it too, though will so much ESL out there it must be tough, and you must type a lot! -sm
If you only work 5 days a week that is 14 hours a day w/o breaks, so say a min. of 15 hours with breaks. Whew! I presume its just you and no family though as that is no life to lead if you have a family. When I was working more I typed about 7 hours during the day and another 3-5 at night and that was too much and I hardly made anything due to ESL, etc. I was lucky to do 800 lines in a day with that. Now though I am only doing some PT work and working 2-6 hours a day depending on the day/night of the week (and doing 3-6 hours over the weekend too) and how Jenny is feeling, doctor appts, etc. So my paychecks are weeny ($250-$350) right now but hope that one day I can at least break 10,000 lines per pay.....nice to know what can be acheived if you have all the right factors fall together.
No. If I have had a particularly tough ESL, I might relisten to
that paragraph but never a whole report.
Tough situation
I really think that what she is doing is wrong and like you said dishones and not loyal to your company. I would definitely bring it to your managers attention.
thats a tough call but he seems to be
attached to his routine which clearly centers around kids and your home. You could try taking him with you, see how he does but let a neighbor from your neighborhood now know that if he shows up back there to call you.
All the ideas are great, he may prefer the old hood but may be fine n the new. Cats are so finicky but mine transitioned from the old home to an apt just fine. Good luck, you have a heart of gold!
Tough choice, for sure.
Are you married? If so, does your husband's income pay the bills? If that is the case, then I would tell you without hesitation to go to Andrews. The mentorship might be a good option if you feel confident they will teach you enough to make you employable at other companies and not just their own. An Andrews education would ensure you employability with many different companies and would secure your future in a way that mentorship may not. Again, this depends on the company doing the mentoring and I have no information on this particular company so I can't speak to that. I do know that Andrews graduates are work-ready and that Andrews will help facilitate job placement as well. (I have no affiliation with Andrews, for the record. I am an MTSO that hires and fires and just know from experience that Andrews graduates are always well-trained.)
If you simply cannot afford to give up the job you have now and you can't work the mentorship around your current job, you still might be able to study with Andrews and work that around your current job since I believe with Andrews, you can work at your own pace. M-Tec is another good school that I believe also allows you to work at your own pace.
Good luck to you!
Psych can be tough.
Would they give you a training period in psych, a few months at least? Psych is no breeze, you would definitely need references, and some internet sites. It will take some getting used to. But it can be fun!
I agree that it is going to be tough too--sm
I would also opt for a different location for your work space, particularly if hubby is going to have his parents visit, knowing that you are working or want to work. That alone is disrespectful, but that is another discussion. Anyway, try to choose an area that is away from all the talking, visiting, etc. or just have a particular area that is out of the way only when there is company. Otherwise, you DO have to get tough. My own mother happened not to like the kind of hours I was working and began calling me three times a day to *take a break*. I had to get tough and tell her not to. It hurt her feelings, yes, but sometimes you have to do that in order to earn a living. She got over it and now respects my wishes. just my thoughts.
This is such a tough question...sm
Yes, in a way I guess we should be responsible for our aging parents, however, I believe there comes a point when other options are necessary. When your parents raised and took care of you, they had options of other family members or daycare or babysitters to get some time away. When caring for aging and sick parents options to get away are very slim. My in laws are currently in this situation. They are taking care of my mother in laws mother (husbands grandma). She had a stroke and is bedridden. They have a nurse during the day while they go to work, but after work, all night, and all weekends, it is their responsibility to be with her and care for her. They have to do everything in shifts because they cannot leave her. They are missing so much of life and their grandchildren. All they do is take care of her. While part of me does think that is an admirable thing to do, the other part has to question do you give up your life to take care of an aging sick parent? She could go on like this for the next 10 years.. or more. I just think that maybe there comes a point when you should look for other options too. It is a tough question.
Wow, very tough situation.
If the relationship means a lot to you, maybe you can try talking with the husband and explain that he made you very uncomfortable and you really want to remain her friend and you would prefer that he make himself otherwise occupied or act like a gentleman when you go to visit. Explain to him that's the reason you are avoiding her. If he has any decency, he will respect that. If that is not an option....if she contacts you again, you should just tell her. Basically if the frienship is going to be over anyway, and you feel awkward about her wondering why, why not? You don't have to go into detail. Just say, you know, I never told you but years ago your husband made a pass at me and now that I'm newly single it is making me uncomfortable. If she doesn't believe you say I didn't think you would and that is why I never told you. That's it. That's what I would do. But that's me. Good luck!
I'm sure that is tough to find someone
bogged down by the end of the week. I wish I had a C-phone, I could probably help you. I work for a company on-line that I pick right up on new accounts with simply a sample report of any specialty. These types of MTs are hard to come by because they are usually the ones with many years of experience and as the poster states they are usually so busy themselves. I agree it sounds like you need someone willing to take off running say maybe even Thursday or Friday night to have the work back to you at least by Sunday evening. My experience, like yours, is you are better off starting with a clean slate Monday a.m. By Wednesday you are beating feet to stay within TAT if you have a lot of accounts. I'll keep my eye out for a C-phone. I've often wondered if it isn't better to have one on hand for these types of accounts. I still transcribe tapes with pick-up and delivery of printed reports, so I know where you're coming from, believe me. 
It's tough to balance it all.
I've got a very full life, too. DH puts in a lot of hours at his job, but he doesn't see that I put in just as many. When he takes a break at work, he gets to sit down somewhere and actually eat or drink a Starbucks coffee. I have to make my own coffee, drop a kid off, pick a kid up or swap out a load of laundry during my "breaks" just to keep up. He does put in long hours at his job, and he's too tired to help out with household chores. He doesn't have time to get his errands done during the day either because he's got a demanding job. The kids do help out around here, too, but they have really full schedules with school, sports, jobs and friends. We've got pets contributing to the mess. Even my relatives call during the day for help with stuff. Cooking, grocery shopping, errands, bills and finances all fall on me to do. It's a load of bunk. I told DH I wasn't going to do MT full-time any more because of everything else I do around here. Why should I make as much money (or more) than he does, work just as many hours, and do EVERYTHING else that is expected of me? I even got hired part-time at an MT job, but they're trying to creep the hours up on me again. Plus, I have a second part-time job that's pretty demanding and just not worth what they pay me. I've got people demanding of me from sunrise to sunset, and I'm sick of it all! I'd like to sit on my backside and watch a TV program or movie for a change. I'd like to be have time to pursue my hobbies.
You (we) gotta get mean! JUST SAY NO to all the people badgering you all the time. Don't answer the phone or the door. Use caller ID and put a "do not disturb" note on the door. Lock or close your office door if you have one. Stay focused. Set work goals for yourself. I type at least 30 minutes of dictation before taking a break to go swap out laundry and stretch, then I get back to it. Assess your life and see what you can cut back on or streamline. Make a list of daily chores that take less than 5 minutes to do, and do those throughout the day. Delegate, ask for help.
It's a very tough market right now...sm.
I have 8 years experience and have been testing left and right for the last 3 months. I have passed several tests only to hear about the company being put on a hiring freeze and I am added to their waiting list. I have also tested and done very well and not heard anything back. I finally made the decision that I am going to go to nursing school but right now is not a good time either (my husband has been out of work since April of 2008). He finished his degree and STILL cannot find a job.
Keep faith..it will come through. Maybe instead of having to drive into town, you could send your resume to all the local doctors, dentists, veterinarians, eye doctors, anyone who maybe has been thinking they are too busy to do their own notes. I have heard that this has worked for many people. It is always worth the effort. If you are a good general Transcriptionist too, don't just stop at medical. Send you resume to insurance businesses, lawyers, whatever might be there.
Good Luck and God Bless.
Tough situation. Have you searched the ads and
applied with the companies who have been advertising ER accounts? I know I just saw 1 this past month or so. I do believe there is a good place for you; it'll just take digging and time. I would absolutely refuse to do so many different unless in the same field. Right now I have probably 15 different docs but all in the same field so it is not bad.
I have no idea how anyone makes 50K+ unless they are tied to the computer day and night....not my choice or my life.
Good luck and I hope you find some sort of resolution to this.
Agree with this! Only become a nurse if YOU want to do it. It's a tough job. nm
s
That is a tough situation ONLY because you know the account so well. sm
WOW! I think I would put up with A LOT if I had an account that was easy to me, but then again give it to me and treat me that way and see what I would do...From my experience, it is hard to come by good accounts. That is the problem. These MTSOs know that if you are lucky enough to get a good account or if you are familiar with an account, then you won't want to lose it, therefore treating you like doggy-doo. It is a total shame the way this industry has taken into shape.
If it were me, I would just suck it up IF it is easy money, and go along and ignore them. Hey, at least you are at home and you can say bad things to them or make mean, funny gestures at them...lol.....without them knowing...
Tough call with no contract, but
dictation you have in your possession until the previous balance is paid. Sometimes offices do not even realize they have done this. I have waited to be paid as well. If this is a pick-up/drop-off whereas you go into the office, I would mention amongst those office workers that your mortgage company is really on your back because you haven't received your paycheck. I know that sounds really cheesy, but it works. The physician will definitely not want his/her office staff thinking he/she does not pay their staff. Puts a "stink" through the office. Now, you have to be classy about this when you are there though, real tactful, and even sort of make a joke about it. Laugh, laugh, laugh... while saying the mortgage company just does not want to hear it. But it does sound like you have already given notice, so I guess it will not matter for future endeavors. JMO. This is why contracts are so important because I do not really think you can even take the doc to small claims court to recoup because of the lack of a contract. If they desire your future services, then you need to draft a contract. 
That's tough, I think I'd try it thinking I could get another job back in MT if I had to.
It really sounds like too good an opportunity to not at least give it a try. If it doesn't work out, it would still be a great experience I think.
nope...makes it tough.
`
Iam sorry to hear that, Pauline. I know it is tough right now. sm
I am sorry this happened to you.
Hmm. I'm making 0.095/hr., but the work is tough
That's because the daily minimum # of lines required to maintain employment takes not 8 hours to complete, but more like 12-13 hours per day, 6 1/2 days per week.
well, I stand corrected, he's a pretty tough guy to please.
.
Goodness! That is just awful. Seems to need a tough skin to
xx
Being in-house is tough for this reason - you simply have to sit there.
dd
You are probably more upset than the doctors will be. They might act tough, but they are human too.
Very proud of you, you stick to your guns, and when the going gets tough,
be even stronger. Tie another knot and all of that. You are on the way to a healthier life for you and your children. You will survive.
Good jobs are tough to find
Before you jump ship, you might want to kee up your MT skills.
This economy is going to make it harder for even new college graduates to "make it." Professional jobs are really going to be tough to get even with advanced degrees, i.e. masters.
Just think of going back to school and spending all that time and money and then finding that you were between a rock and a hard place with paying off loans and no job in sight.
You hear of it every day.
decision
Why not just be honest and say, hey, I have a better offer. Either pay me what they pay me or I'm out of here.
decision
I would have to consider the headaches and extra responsibilities of "lead" and the UNPAID hours you will work if you are salaried and do you still have to type a minimum of time/lines.
right decision
Tinkerbell, I think you made the right decision.
Independent contractors will eventually be forced to move to Vista when their XP boxes die, and they need to get a new computer. But if you have an option of staying with XP, I think for most MTs that course will avoid lots of heartache and problems.
--vJoe
My decision is my own....
I'm not looking for anything from anyone other than just to see if this has happened to anyone else. The fact that she did not allow me to explain the position, account specifics, what I expected, etc. tells me she is a difficult person to get along with. It's too bad too, because this account pays up to 14 cpl, so it's her loss, not mine. There are many other good MT's out there and I have several other resumes I can choose from.
Obviously, your decision
You don't mention benefits...I don't know whether you need them, if you have them with the at-home position, or whether they're a non-issue. I would love to find a hospital where I could get in for 3 days a week typing radiology. It would be great to have at least that much guaranteed money (although, admittedly, if you're part-time they could call you and tell you not to bother coming in unless you're actually covering a shift). Plus, after 20+ years of doing this at home, it's kinda nice to get back out there among people again. I worked for a very brief time for a temp agency and it was actually pretty nice; I felt like a little kid playing dress-up for the 2 days a week I went into an office!!
If you really like the current large company you work for, I would probably hold on to that as well, leaving the door open so that if you found after a month you really couldn't bear it, you could go back.
Oncology and some specialty AIDS facilities can be TOUGH.
nm
It'll be tough with so many new drugs, etc. out there. Figure out what you used to do compared to
,
Smaller MTSOs. They're tough to find.
You'd best put your resume in the MTstars resume database with the objective that you're searching for a smaller MTSO.
I was "let go" for not meeting production. Tough to do when there is NO WORK!!! EVER!!!!
Thanks, I agree......I am okay with his decision, but will
absolutely miss watching him play. He has so much talent and to see a young man walk away from a game he once loved so much is very upsetting. He will be fine and is so intelligent. I always tell both my kids, academics are more important than anything else while in school. He gets that drive and push from me.
I am very proud of him, always will be. He has so much character and courage to actually face the coaches and explain his feelings.
Inside, I am sad just because I am feeling sorry for myself cause I won't get to see him play anymore.
Thank you so much for your help with this! I just needed to hear some opinions and hope I am doing the right thing by supporting him in his decision.
I will get over it tomorrow - today I want to sulk!
Only you can make that decision.
Will you be looking for another job any time soon? Will you make more money as a CMT? Will it make you feel good about yourself to have the certification? Will you have time to study for the test? Make a list of pros/cons and decide from there.
Personally, it's not worth it for me. I don't want to support the AAMT because they're supposed to be for Americans, but they promote offshoring. I have enough certifications and education papers kicking around that I don't need another one. CMTs don't get paid any more at my employer. I also don't want to drive 300 miles each way to take the test. It's expensive, and you have to recertify every three years.
It's a personal decision.
I prefer IC as well. When you're an employee, they pay you less per line than as an IC. You still pay taxes, federal, state, Medicare, Social Security as an employee. However, the employer pays for Worker's Comp and matches the social security and Medicare only portion of your taxes, which I believe is only 7.65%. That social security percentage is quite small when you consider the fact that self-employment taxes are only 15.6%. I don't remember the exact percentages because it's been a while since I had to manually figure it all, but you can look it up on Google.
As an IC, I get to deduct every little thing I can think of. I can deduct my home office, a portion of my utilities, a portion of my Internet and phone, any mileage, office supplies (and I love office supplies!), furniture, software, computers and other equipment, paper, reference materials, everything.
The issue is that when you are an employee, those taxes get taken right off the top so you don't even miss that money. Most people don't set aside a percentage of their pay that should have gone to those taxes, so they grumble when they owe at tax time. You actually get to see how much you're paying out in taxes. However, they got to use their money all year instead of loaning it to the government interest free. That's a perk.
Yes, that is a wise decision. (nm)
dd
Trying to make a decision
I have just been hired with a super good company, who is offering the right amount per lines and have an abundance of work, but I work for a company that pays only pennies and I mean literally pennies and I've been working for them for years, trying to keep them on float. I feel loyal to them but with the new company's demands with the workload, I am not going to be able to keep up with the company that offers pennies. I just don't know how to tell them good-bye.... 
At the end of the interview, the decision
was up to Mr. Trump, not Randall. In the business world, you protect your own position and interest, and he showed Mr. Trump that he was indeed tough enough to do that. This is not "Survivor," taking someone to the final two.
As far as Rebecca goes, she is indeed a very impressive 23-year-old. Her exposure from the show will take her far, perhaps farther than the Trump organization. However, she is still quite young. The right candidate was selected for this position.
Decision on taking a job
I took 3 documents in Word and the program calculated the amount of characters with spaces and without spaces. I divided the character counts by 65 to get a line count. I then multiplied the line count with spaces by 8 cents per line and the one without spaces by 9 cents per line. In all 3 cases, you are better off taking the job at the lower rate counting spaces.
Example: 1 document 4339 characters without spaces, 5179 with spaces. Divide each by 65 comes out to be 67 lines without spaces, 80 lines with spaces.
65 lines x 9 cents = $6.03
80 lines x 8 cents = $6.40
The others came out with a discrepancy of 78 cents and $2.16.
I did other size documents and none of them came out where you were getting a better deal by being paid the higher line rate with no spaces.
I hope this helps.
They should post their decision
on one of the 'sticky' messages so it is always at the top of the boards...all of them!
|
